3.85 lakh vaccine doses dispatched to districts

A day after receiving the first consignment of Covishield, a stock of 3,85,500 doses was dispatched to districts on Wednesday for administering the first dose on January 16.

While Bengaluru division got the highest stock of 1,59,000, Kalaburgi division got the lowest — 29,500 doses, according to the district-wise vaccine dose allocation list.

While BBMP has been allocated 1,05,000 doses, the Regional Vaccine Store in Mysuru, covering Chamarajanagara, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya and Mysuru, has been given 47,000 doses.

As many as 45,000 doses have been sent to the Regional Vaccine Store in Chitradurga (to cover Ballari, Chitradurga, Davangere and Shivamogga), a total of 42,500 doses were sent to Chikmagalur, Mangaluru and Udupi districts. As many as 30,000 doses were sent to Bagalkote Regional Vaccine Store to cover Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Gadag and Koppal.

Arundathi Chandrashekar, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM) told The Hindu that the stock for administering the second dose — 28 days after the first dose is given — will be sent after three weeks.

“We do not want to overload the regional vaccine stores with the stock. As per the Centre’s directions, we are utilising the 7.95 lakh doses received so far for both the first and second dose,” she said.

Two vaccination sites — Victoria Hospital, BMCRI and Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi — have been selected for the virtual launch of the campaign by the Prime Minister on January 16.

Dr. Rajani said on the first day only young healthcare workers — preferably those aged 20 years-30 years who do not have any comorbid conditions — will be vaccinated. “A safai karmachari or a sanitation worker or a ‘D’ group worker will be the first person to get the vaccine in each site on the first day,” she said.

Vaccination will not be carried out on Tuesdays and Thursdays which are the days for routine immunisation in the State health facilities. Apart from this, vaccination will also not be held on Sundays, she added.